Back at One
by Taya J Weasley
Summary: First HP Fic! Another Yule Ball, 5th yr, Hermione is going home, Ron is depressed, Harry is talking the the Twins *-oy-* and Ginny learns what a CD is...*R/R*
1. Another Yule Ball

"Ron!" I heard someone shout from behind me. I tried to turn around, but the corridor was way too crowded to try. So I shouted back, to who I didn't know, "In the Great Hall!" And pointed to the direction that I was heading for lunch. The person must of agreed, because there was no more shouting. 

~*~*~*~*~ 

"Hey Harry." Ron said as his best friend sat down next to him at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. 

"Too busy to turn around and wait for a friend in the halls?" He said in an amused voice. 

"Sorry," Ron replied, "I didn't know it was you. And with it being lunch and all, well, it was a tad crowded." He paused, "What was it you wanted to say?" 

"Oh!" As if suddenly remembering. "I wanted to ask who you were going to ask to the Yule Ball. You know the one that Dumbledoor announced this morning." He heard a groan in response. "Come on, don't tell me you're not going." No response. "You can't miss this!" 

"Sure I can. After last year? *Pshaw* Not going to try again thank you very much." He shook his head and started eating, trying to block out Harry's 'persuasion' tactics. 

"She's not even going to be here this year!" Ron almost choked on his pumpkin juice. He wiped some from his chin and looked startled. 

"Who? What do you mean?" He said trying to blow it off. 

"You know who I mean." Harry gave an almost evil smile. "Anyway, she said that she was going home for Christmas this year. Something about a traditional muggle Christmas. Of course, I have no idea of a 'traditional' Christmas, most of mine were locked up in a closet. Anyways..." Ron wasn't listening. 

The 'she' was no other then Hermione. Of course they were close friends, but after the last Yule Ball with- Krum, he didn't feel right talking about things like that with or around her. 

'Next time- ask me first and not as a last resort!' 

That's what she said all right. When he wanted her as a back up since everyone else was taken. He didn't have a great time at the ball that time. 

"Ron? Ron..." Harry snapped his fingers in front of his face. 

"Wha- huh? Oh sorry, just thinking. You were saying?" 

"Well- I *was* saying that she's packing right now, since the train is leaving tomorrow instead of Friday." 

"It's Tuesday already?" 

"No Ron, it's Funday..." Harry rolled his eyes. "Well, since We have last' off, why don't we go play some Exploding Snap or something." They started to leave when The Twins called Harry over. "Go on," he said to Ron, "I'll catch up." Ron eyed him suspiciously, he never did trust those brothers of his. 

Harry made sure that Ron was half way gone when he turned to Fred and George. "What do you want guys?" Harry said knowing full well they were up to something. 

"Want? Why, we don't want anything. Can't we just talk for a minute dear friend?" 

"Um, no?" Harry said with a smirk. "Really, what are you up to now?" 

"Well," Fred started leaning towards Harry, "we have a little plan." 

"A great one if I say so myself." George interrupted. 

"And this has *what* to do with me?" 

"You're Ron's friend aren't you?" 

"No," Harry said rolling his eyes once again, "I'm his pet unicorn." 

"Okay, I think you're abusing sarcasm now." George replied bluntly. "Are you going to help or what?" 

"All depends. What's it about?" 

"Oh, not much. Some Charms, a best friend, two geniuses and a thick redhead little boy who can't survive without his dear loving brothers." They both smiled sweetly-- take that back, eerily. 

"Oy, you're going to mess with Ron again aren't you?" Harry replied whining. 

"Bye gum Forge! I think he's got it!" Fred said happily. 

~*~*~*~*~ 

At the same time, Ron headed towards the tower, while he passed the sign up list for going home for Christmas, he slowed. He knew that Harry told him that Hermione was going home the next day for the holidays, but had to check for himself. And at the top of the list was, in neat cursive, _'Hermione Granger, 5th Year'_

_'Well,'_ he thought, '_I guess she is leaving... There goes my chance...'_ And he continued walking towards the tower. 

End Part 1 

AN: what did you think? My first HP fic! Yay! Well, review, should I finish??? Also, would anyone be interested in beta-ing for me? I'll take at least 2. Thanks ^_^ 

Disclaimers: Don't own any of the HP series yada yada 


	2. He's not An Early Riser (got a better ti...

Thanks for reading! Hehe- thanks to ~Del~ for beta-ing this for me, and erm- yeah, bye! I hope you like! 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Chapter 2 

I walked in on her while she was taking some books up to her room. I'm going to miss her... 

iI feel totally and completely stupid. 

She's only going to be gone for a few days! 

But still, she's missing the ball... 

It's just a stupid ball! 

But she should go with someone... A friend maybe. 

Like I want to ask her?! 

... True. /I 

"You need all of those books?" I asked as I saw her struggling to hold all of her books. She peered over the top one. 

"As a matter of fact. Yes. Homework and such." She tried to take a few steps towards her dormitory room, but her books fell in the process. "Argh-" She bent down to pick them up, I don't know why, but I had a odd feeling she'd need help. So I helped. 

I picked up her beloved, i'Hogwarts, A history.'/I Great book, so she says, never took time to read it unless *absolutely* necessary. She looked at me as if surprised. 

"Can't I help?" I asked, continuing to pick up the books. I had almost all of them now, but it wasn't so hard for me to carry. "I'll put them on your bed for you." 

"You're not allowed up there, you know," She said,blocking my way. 

"Well, I just saw everyone downstairs still eating. And you don't have any other choice, considering I *am* helping you with *all* your books." She thought for a second and then stepped out of the way. 

"Great." And he walked up stairs. 

-_-_-_-_-_- 

"Ooh! Lavender, did you see that?!" Parvati Squeled to her friend. 

Lavender*,* did you see that?!" *Parvati* *squealed*... 

"That is so cute!" Lavender said with a grin. They had just seen Hermione follow Ron up to the dormitory. 

"Are they going to the ball together do you know?" 

"I don't think so. She's packing to go home for the holidays, I saw her name on the list this morning." 

"That's sad. They're so cute together anyways." 

-_-_-_-_-_- 

"Do I have to?" Harry asked. "Don't make me please. For the love of god... He's going to kill me," He pleaded. (a/n: in my stories, Harry isnt great. In fact, I don't like him much, so imagine 'Our Hero Harry' as a Neville type person and I'll be happy. (this is a Ron fic! RON ROCKS HERE!!!)) 

"Aw, come on Harry, Ron will be happy in the end," Fred reminded him. 

"It's for a good cause!" George added. 

"Fine. But if he asks, I'm blaming you. Now, exactly what am I supposed to do to him?" 

"Okay, since the Yule Ball is in five days we need him to ask Hermione first..." 

"Wait, she's leaving tomorrow, dumb-bells. How is that going to work?" 

"We have that taken care of." 

"Yes," Fred said, "our dear little sister is easily persuaded." 

"Talk about the dark side." Harry mumbled. "So- now what?" 

~*~*~*~*~*~ 

"Hermione? Can I talk to you a minute?" Ginny quietly approached Hermione, who was in the library now. After Ron had helped her with her books, she walked down by a giggling pair of "friends" and went straight to the 

library for some last minute reading. 

"Sure, Ginny, take a seat." She gestured to a seat across from her. Ginny sat. "What did you need?" 

"Well, I was wondering if you could stay for the holidays instead of going home." 

"Sorry, Gin, I already bought my ticket and everything, my parents are expecting me home." She shrugged slightly. "Sorry." 

"Well, I *really* think you should stay. Please? It *will* be worth it." 

"How is that?" Hermione asked suspiciously. Ginny, knowing the question would come, said the first thing that popped into her mind. 

"Well-" she started slowly, she hushed her voice as if a secret, "Fred said that he and George have something for Snape, since he's going to watch over 

the dance... Something about ton-toffee something..." She said quietly. 

"Tempting..." was the reply. 

"Please?" 

"Well, I'll owl my mum right now, I think I can." (a/n: maybe she just needed a reason to stay?? Well- my fic MY rules! ^_^) 

Ginny grinned widely."Great!" And ran off. But turned back suddenly and said, "Don't forget, you need a cute date for the ball." She winked and left the library. 

I'Cute, huh?'/I she thought to herself,I 'who can I ask that's B*really*/B cute'/I she pondered for a moment... i'There's always Ron.'/I She was shocked and it showed on her face. I'Where in bloody hell did THAT come from???' /I "I need to stop thinking to myself." 

~*~*~*~*~*~ 

"You have the ingredients?" George asked Fred in the empty hallway. Fred looked around and then opened his cloak. 

"Got it." he said with a impish grin. "Ron will love us." 

"Of course!" George replied. "Now, let's go get this mixed, it needs to settle for about 50-something hours, so it needs to be finished as soon as possible." And with that they left to finish the potion. 

~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Harry walked into the common room seeing just the people he needed to see. Ginny and Ron. 

"Ginny," he started; they both looked up, "got it?" 

"Yup." 

"Right one?" 

"Yup. 

"Asked?" 

"Yup." 

"Answer?" 

"Yup." 

"Good." He turned to a confused Ron. "Oh yeah!" He turned back to Ginny. "You want to go the Yule Ball with me?" 

She blushed a dark crimson. "Of course." And she turned away. This made Harry grin. 

"Ron, I was wondering..." He stalled and gave Ginny a 'go-away-time' look; reluctantly she left her dormitory, "Who are you going to the ball with?" Ron 

blushed. 

"I dunno." 

"Who do you want to ask?" Ron's blush got darker (if possible). 

"I dunno." 

"Are you sure?" 

"I dunno." 

"Don't you know anything?" 

"Uhm-" he said with a grin. "No?" 

"Well," Harry said slyly, "I think you lying." And he 

left out the door to meet the twins. 

I'Odd boy that Potter is...'/I he thought. 

~*~*~*~*~ 

"What exactly does this do?" Harry said, looking at the potion. 

"Not sure exactly," Fred said, "something about somethin' else..." He laughed. Ginny walked in and pulled something out of her robe. 

"Silly thing, this disk." She handed it to George. "I played it earlier... It's pretty sweet. I think it'll work." 

"What is this again?" Fred asked, eyeing the disk. 

"A CD." Harry said with a smirk. "It plays music. Never had one of course. Dursleys weren't that kind to me. But Dudley had lots." He took the CD in his hands. "Who is it?" 

"An American singer, forgot his name. Song is iBack at One./i It's really sweet." 

"You said that already." George said, rolling his eyes. 

"Well, it says just to throw it in. So, go ahead." Harry obeyed and threw it into the cauldron... What else was in there they didn't know. They heard the 

soft melody of the song while it was simmering, then it died away. 

"Now, we just let it simmer, and it will be ready to serve by the Ball." Fred told them, obviously impressed by the ease of it. The ingrediants weren't hard to get, and the CD, well, Ginny probably 'borrowed' it from someone in her year. 

"Harry, need I remind you of the importance of this mission?" 

"Oh- so it's a Imission/I now?" He said with annoyance. "No, you don't need to remind me. I know, I know, slip it in his drink beforehand and then walk away." 

"You can stay with him if you like." 

"Nope, I'm leaving afterwards, stay as far away as possible," he replied shaking his head.With that, he said goodbye and left for the common room. He 

needed a long night's sleep. 

~*~*~*~*~*~ 

"The things I do for friends..." Ron mumbled as he awoke early the next morning. It was Saturday, the day Hermione was leaving for home. So, being the caring friend he was, he got up early to see her out of the station. He got dressed and walked down the stairs to the common room. He didn't see her anywhere, he knew she couldn't have left yet- i 'Could she?'/i 

He cautiously made his way up the stairs to her dormitory. He made a beeline for her bed, knowing where it was already from the night before (a/n:sickos! He put her books there remember!?!?!). He slowly pulled back the curtains of 

her four-poster bed, and saw something that made him want to shout. 

i'She's asleep! I got up for her at 6:30 in the morning to find her asleep?!'/i He thought for a moment.i 'Isn't her train supposed to leave at 7:00?'/I She would be late. He had to wake her up. Almost fearfully, Ron 

reached over and tapped Hermione lightly on the shoulder; needless to say, it didn't work. So he tried shaking her a bit... She merely groaned. Finally 

irritated, he shook her violently. 

"What the-?!" She paused and blinked her eyes a couple times. "Ron? What are you doing in here?!" 

"Uhm-" he suddenly forgot, "Oh yeah! Your train, remember? You're going to be late!" 

"Uhm Ron..." She looked at his face, full of fury and embarrassment- i 'Aww, how cute.'/IShe mentally slapped herself. "I'm not going home for the holidays so you can go back to bed." And she flipped herself over and tried to ignore his whispering rants. 

"What?! I had to get up early for nothing?" 

"Well," she said, still facing the other way, "yes." 

"Hermione! Why couldn't you tell me this *before*??" 

Slowly she turned over and smiled sweetly. She sat up 

and pinched his cheek. 

"If I did, I wouldn't be able to see how funny you look when you're angry." He angrily yanked his cheek away. "Oh so cranky..." 

He started to walk away and looked at her one last time. "You'll get yours, Mione, you'll get yours..." (a/n: not a morning person is he eh?) 

And with that he left, and Hermione breathed a sigh of relief... He was gone, now she could sleep. And she drifted off to sleep. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Later that morning at breakfast, Ron had a grin on his face. "What's with you?" Harry asked. "You'll see..." And he continued eating. Shortly thereafter, Hermione sat down next to Ginny, across from Harry and Ron. 

"Morning." She greeted them all as she served herself. 

"Good morning, Herm, how'd ya sleep?" Ginny asked. 

"Very well, actually. Well, until *someone* had to come and wake me up at 6:40..." She looked at Ron. 

"It was your own fault." 

"You had no right to come into the girls' dormitory, much less watch me sleep." She regreted the last statement. Harry, Ginny, Ron, Fred and George and company (whose attention was caught immediately) gave her all weird looks. "I mean- er- uhm..." 

"That reminds me, Mione-" Ron stated casually, "I never thought of you as one to sleep in silk." He wriggled his eyebrows as she blushed. She was tempted to reach over and slap him, but she just got up and headed to the library, embarrassed that some of her closest friends had heard what he night clothes were... 

i'Just you wait..'/Ishe said as she mentally scowled at Ron... i'Just you wait...'/I 

End Chapter 2 

A/N: What's ya think?? Well- this one was actually beta-ed for me ^_^ helped a lot. Oh yeah- to that comment about Harry, sorry to all you Potter fans, but poor ron is always in his shadows :( not to mention the shadows of his brothers, so here, RON IS BETTER THEN THE AMAZIN HARRY POTTER! ^_^ now be nice and review! 

~taya 


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